Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-11-11

custom) like man and have done with
it? It would save deal Of trouble, and
we should have had our nights sleep. But
there they 90, talk, talk, talk, and kiss,
kiss, kiss, like mad things. Eugh,''
Some three-quarters of an hour after
wards the pair of doves" came strolling
towards Us, Curtis looking slightly silly,
and NylePtha remarking calmly that the
moonlight made very pretty effects on the
marble. Then, for she was III most
gracious mood. she took my hand and saia
that l was her lords" dear friend, and
therefore most dear to her-not word for
my own sake, you see Next, she lifted
Umsl0Dogaas' AK, aud examined it curl
orsly. saying significantly, as she did so,
that he might soon have cause TO use it in
defense OF hsr
After that she nodded prettily to US all,
and casting one tender glance at her lover,
glided of into the darkness like a beauti-
full vision.
When we got back to our quarters,
which We did without accident, Curtis
asked me iOcularly what I was thinking
about.
Il am wondering" I answered, ''on what
principle it is arranged that some people
should find beautiful queens to fall in love
with them, while others find nobody at all,
or worse than nobo l.; AMI | am also Won
dering how many brave mems lives this
NIGHTS work VIII cost" 1t was rather
hasty OF me- perhaps, but somehow all the
feelings do not evaPorate with age, and !
could not help being little jealous of my
old friends luck. Vanity, my sons; vanity
of vanities!
On the following morning Good was in
formed Of the HAPPY occurrence, and posi-
| lively rippieG with smiles Ihat, originating
| somewhere ajout the mouth, slowly tray-
| eled up his face, like the rings in 4 duck
| pond, till they flowed over the bTim OF his
| eye-glass, and went where sweet smiles go.
| The fact Of the matter however, was that
not only was Good rejoiced about the thing
| on its own merits, bat also for personal
| reasons. He adored S1rais quite as earn
| estly as Sir Henry ad0red Nyl2ptha, and
! his alteration had not altogether prOSpered.
| Indeed, It had seemed to him, and to me
also, that the dark, CIaopatra-like queen
| favored Curtis il her own curious inscrut
| able way much more than Good. There
| fore il was Il relief to him to learn that his
unconscious rival was permanently and
satisfactorily attached in another direc-
ttau. HIS face fell little, however, when
| he was told that the whole thing was to
be kept as secret rs the dead, above all
| frHrl Sor&iS for the present, iHa5much as
the political CONFUSION which would fol
low such an announcement at the moment
would be altogether too great TO face, aud
would very possibly, If premGturely made,
shake Nyleptha from her throne.
That morning we again attended in the
Throne Hall, and could not help smiling
last, and reflected that if walls could speak
they would have strange tales to tell.
What actresses women are! There, high
upon her golden throne, drapad in her
blazoned ''kaf," or robe of state, sat the
fair Nyleptha; and when Sir Henry came
in little late, dressed in the full uniform
of an officer of her guard, and humbly
bent himself before her, she merely &C
knowlcdged his salute with a careless nod
and turned her head coldly aside. 1t was
n very large court, for not only did the
ceremony of the signing of the laws attract
many outside of those whose duty it was
to attend, but the rUmor that Nasta was
going to publicly ask the hand of Nylcptha
in marriage had gone abroad, and the re-
suit was that the great hall was crowded
to its utmost capacity. There were our
friends, the priests in force, headed by
A%on, who regarded rs with vindictive
eye. and a most imposing band they were,
with their long white embroidered robes
grit with Il golden chain from which hung
the fisA-like scales. There too were a
number OF the lords, each with band of
brilliantly attilol attendants, and promi-
nent among them was Nasta, stroking his
black beard mcditattvely and looking I'M
4
and impressive sight, especially when, the
officer having read ont each law, it was
handed to the Queens to sign. whereOn the
trumpets blared out, and the Queens guard
grounded their spears with a crash, in sa-
iutc. This reading and signing OF the laws
took a long time, but at last it came to an
end; the last one reciting that whereas
certain distinguished strangers, etc" and
proceeding to confer on the three of us the
rank Of lords, " together with certain mil
itary commands and large estates bestowed
by the Queens. When il was read the
trumpets hlarcd and the spears FLASHED
down as usual; but saw some of the lords
turn and whisper to each other, while
Nasta ground his teeth They did not like
the favor that was shown to US, which I'M
der all the circumstances was not perhaps
unnatural.
Then there came Il Pause and Nasta step
pc forward, and bowling humbly, though
with 10 humility III his eye, craved a econ
at the hands of the Queen Nyleptha.
Nylcp.ha turned u little pale but bowed
graciously, and prayed the ''well-beloved
lord" 20 speak on; whcreou in a few
Straightforward, solIicr-ltle words, he
asked her hand in marriage. Then before
CHI, .t,l L., l.
priest A-on took M the tale. aud in
speech of real eloqueIcc and power pointed
out the many advantages of the proposed
alliance: how it would consolidate the
kingdom for Nasta's dominions. of which
he was virtually king, We're to Hu-Vendis
much what Scotland used to be to Eng
land; how it would crafty the wild noun
taineers and be popular among the sol
diery, for Nasta was Il famous general; how
it would set her dynasty firmly on the
throne, and would gain the blessing and
approval "j the sun" i. G., of the office of
the High Priest and so on. Many OF his
arguments were undoubtedly valid. and
there WAS, looking at it from Il political
point of view, everything to be said for the
marriage. But unfortunately it is difficult
to play he game of politics with the per-
sons of young and lovely queens as though
they were ivory effigieS Of themselves on a
chess-board. Nyleptha's face, while Agon
spouted away, was perfect study; she
smiled, indeed but beneath the smile it
set like a stone, and her eyes began TO flash
ominously.
At last he stopped, and she prepared her
self to answer. Before she did so, how
ever, Sorais leant towards her and said in
voice sufficiently loud for me to catch
what she said: "Bethink thee well. my
sister, ere thou dost speak, for methinks
that our thrones may hang upon thy
WOrlsn
Nyleptha made no answer, and with a
shrug, aud Il smiie Sorais leant back again
and listened.
"Of truth II great honor has been done
to me- she said, that my poor hand
should not only have been asked in mar
riage, but that AEon here should be so
swift to pronounce the blessing of the Sun
upon my union. Methinks that in another
minute he would have wed US fast ere the
bride had said her say. Nasta, l thank
thee, and will bethink me of thy words:
but now as yet have no mind for mar
rage. which is n cup of which none know
the taste until they begin to drink it.
Again thank thee, Nasta;" and she made
as though she would rise.
The great lords face turned almost as
black IS his beard with fury, for he knew
that the words amounted to n refusal of his
suit
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